Im dead anyway, I always was
by HGRebels
Summary: After Clove is killed by Thresh, Cato has nobody. This is a short fanfic about his time in the arena after her death. Excuse spelling mistakes. Its not a very good fanfic.


I kneel down beside her, spear in hand, begging her to stay with me. Her eyes are open but theres clearly nobody left inside. I look up to see District 11's boy tribute, Thresh, leaping in to the distance. He will get what he deserves. The cannon fires. Dead.

I remember the day I met Clove, down by District 2's lake. We were about six. I was rocking myself, tears streaming down my face and singing under my breath a song my mum used to sing to me to calm me down. Someone grabbed me by the shoulder and I jumped five foot to the left in horror. I looked up to see a young girl, about my age laughing hard. I observed this girl closer. Her face was sweet and her hair was dark brown in a plait that ran down her back, past her waist. Her eyes were sky blue and flickered when they caught the sun. Her laugh was churpy and she had a smile which could light up the stars. She sat down next to me and in the next few hours, told me all about herself. Tears appeared in her eyes as she told me about her father dying, her stepdad abusing her and her hate for The Hunger Games. After that, I made it my duty to protect her. I never left her side, walked her home from school and held her when she cried. When she volunteered for The Hunger Games, I volunteered too. I promised myself, and her family, to keep her safe and out of harm in the arena. But now shes dead. I broke my promise.

Ive never had full control of my life. Ive been trained to win The Hunger Games since the day I was born. Ive never seen The Hunger Games as a death sentence until now. I cant stop thinking about Clove. I shouldnt of let her go to the Cornucopia. If I hadnt, she would still be here, with me. We could of won these games. Together. Just like we have been most of our lives. I hold her coat in my hands and sniff in the sweet smell of her scent. Tears start to roll down my cheeks and fall on to the hard floor below me. The anthem starts to play. "I need you Clove" I whisper in to her coat, looking up in to the sky to see her face looking right back down at me. Watch out 11. Im coming for you. I run through the field of grain with my hand clenched tight around my sword. Its pouring it down with rain, thunder rumbling, lightening striking the ground. He wont hear me coming. I can see Thresh though, sat under a tree. I run up to him and his eyes are closed. "This is for Clove" I scream, and raise my sword, slamming it down, straight in to Thresh's built body. I watch as his eyes awaken and fill with tears. He's shaking, blood pouring from his wound. A cannon fires. I regret nothing. I clutch hold of Cloves coat and hold it close to my heart. "I love you" I whisper. "Always have, always will"

I awaken to the sound of birds cheeping in my ear. I stretch out my arm and throw one of Cloves knives at the bird. Silence. Thats better. I touch something rough next to me and jump up, sword in hand. But its just a backpack. Thresh took both his and our backpack from the Cornucopia, but I took them back last night after he died. Thats reminded me, I never looked inside. I open it up to see a pile of armour. Katniss Everdeen, The Girl on Fire is a master with a bow and arrow. The Gamemakers will of given us this armour to protect ourselves against her arrows. I put it all on, it will come in handy. Something russles through the bushes and I circle the area with my sword ready. I stand there for a minute as theres nothing but silence. I shrug and start to walk away. As I do so, something growls and I glance back to see wolf like animals pouncing towards me. Mutts. I start to take off but one wolf catches my eye and distracts me. This wolf has dark fur and sky blue eyes that flickered when they caught the sun. Clove.

I start to see a resemblance in every wolf. I can see Glimmer, Marvel, Rue and... Thresh. These arent just any wolves. These are our tributes. Cloves mutt starts to grab hold my leg, attempting to pull me down. I keep running as fast as I can, heading towards the Cornucopia. I throw one of Cloves knives behind me and it hits her mutt. I hear a yelp but dont stop running, I dont even look behind me. I dont want to die like this. I can see Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in the distance. She shoots an arrow but it bounces off my chest, protected by the armour. Im not after her. Not yet anyway.

I approach the Cornucopia and climb up, quick. Katniss and loverboy following shortly after. Whilst shes fighting off the mutts, I grab hold of Peeta and put my sword to his throat. Katniss pulls her bow and arrow but she cant get me. My body is blocked by loverboy. "Go on!" I shout. "Shoot and we both go down and you win. Hows that? Is that what they want? I can still do this... One more kill. It's the only thing I know how to do, bringing pride to my district. Not that it matters" I look down to see Peeta shakily drawing an X on my hand in blood. I realise whats happening but its too late. Katniss fires the arrow in to my hand. I shriek in pain and let go of loverboy and fall back, straight in to the pack of mutts. I begin to fight them off, slicing of Marvels head and Glimmers foot. But its useless. They drag me under, tearing off my armour, mauling at my bare skin as I groan in pain. After what feels like hours of torture, I look up to see Katniss Everdeen staring down at me from the Cornucopia. She lifts her bow and arrow and gets ready to shoot. "Please" I mouth. My whole life flashes before my eyes. My family, my training, The Hunger Games and most of all, Clove. I look up in to the sky for the last time "im coming Clove" I whisper. Katniss lets go of the arrow and it peirces me through my heart. Dead. Im dead anyway, I always was.


End file.
